Latest news with #LouisvilleCourierJournal
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Ex-US policeman in Breonna Taylor killing sentenced to 33 months
The deaths of Taylor, 26, and George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, became the focus of a wave of mass protests in the United States and beyond against racial injustice and police brutality. Picture: AFP Image: AFP A US federal judge on Monday rejected an appeal for leniency by the Justice Department and sentenced an ex-police officer to 33 months in prison for violating the civil rights of a Black woman whose 2020 killing fueled widespread protests. Brett Hankison, a former Louisville police department detective, was convicted by a jury in Kentucky in November of one count of abusing Breonna Taylor's civil rights for shots fired during a botched police raid on her home. In an unusual intervention, Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, had asked Judge Rebecca Jennings last week to sentence Hankison to time served -- the single day he spent in jail at the time of his arrest. But Jennings, who was appointed to the bench by US President Donald Trump during his first term as president, rejected the recommendation and said she was troubled by the prosecutor's sentencing memorandum and arguments for leniency, the Louisville Courier Journal said. She sentenced him to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hankison faced a maximum penalty of life in prison. The deaths of Taylor, 26, and George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, became the focus of a wave of mass protests in the United States and beyond against racial injustice and police brutality. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping in her Louisville apartment around midnight on March 13, 2020, when they heard a noise at the door. Walker, believing it was a break-in, fired his gun, wounding a police officer. Police, who had obtained a controversial no-knock search warrant to make a drug arrest, fired more than 30 shots back, mortally wounding Taylor. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Hankison fired 10 shots during the raid, some into a neighboring apartment, but did not hit anyone. He is the only police officer convicted in connection with the raid. Dhillon, in her sentencing memorandum to the judge, had argued that a lengthy prison term for Hankison would be "unjust." "Hankison did not shoot Ms. Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death," she said. "Hankison did not wound her or anyone else at the scene that day, although he did discharge his duty weapon ten times blindly into Ms Taylor's home." Responding to Monday's verdict, the Taylor family's lawyers noted that while the sentence did not "fully reflect the severity of the harm caused," it was "more than what the Department of Justice sought." "We respect the court's decision, but we will continue to call out the DOJ's failure to stand firmly behind Breonna's rights and the rights of every Black woman whose life is treated as expendable," they said in a statement. In May, the Justice Department announced that it was dropping lawsuits filed by the administration of former president Joe Biden against police forces in Louisville and Minneapolis that accused them of using excessive force and racial discrimination. AFP
The Journal
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Former US police officer sentenced in relation to death of black woman Breonna Taylor
A US FEDERAL judge yesterday rejected an appeal for leniency by the Justice Department and sentenced an ex-police officer to 33 months in prison for violating the civil rights of a black woman whose 2020 killing fuelled widespread protests. Brett Hankison, a former Louisville police department detective, was convicted by a jury in Kentucky in November of one count of abusing Breonna Taylor's civil rights for shots fired during a botched police raid on her home. In an unusual intervention, Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, had asked Judge Rebecca Jennings last week to sentence Hankison to time served – the single day he spent in jail at the time of his arrest. But Jennings, who was appointed to the bench by US President Donald Trump during his first term as president, rejected the recommendation and said she was troubled by the prosecutor's sentencing memorandum and arguments for leniency, the Louisville Courier Journal said. She sentenced him to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hankison faced a maximum penalty of life in prison. The deaths of Ms Taylor, 26, and George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, became the focus of a wave of mass protests in the United States and beyond against racial injustice and police brutality. Ms Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping in her Louisville apartment around midnight on March 13, 2020, when they heard a noise at the door. Advertisement Walker, believing it was a break-in, fired his gun, wounding a police officer. Police, who had obtained a controversial no-knock search warrant to make a drug arrest, fired more than 30 shots back, mortally wounding Taylor. Hankison fired 10 shots during the raid, some into a neighbouring apartment, but did not hit anyone. He is the only police officer convicted in connection with the raid. Dhillon, in her sentencing memorandum to the judge, had argued that a lengthy prison term for Hankison would be 'unjust.' 'Hankison did not shoot Ms. Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death,' she said. 'Hankison did not wound her or anyone else at the scene that day, although he did discharge his duty weapon ten times blindly into Ms Taylor's home.' Responding to Monday's verdict, the Taylor family's lawyers noted that while the sentence did not 'fully reflect the severity of the harm caused,' it was 'more than what the Department of Justice sought.' 'We respect the court's decision, but we will continue to call out the DOJ's failure to stand firmly behind Breonna's rights and the rights of every Black woman whose life is treated as expendable,' they said in a statement. In May, the Justice Department announced that it was dropping lawsuits filed by the administration of former president Joe Biden against police forces in Louisville and Minneapolis that accused them of using excessive force and racial discrimination.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
Breonna Taylor case: Ex-police officer Brett Hankison handed 33 months prison sentence; Judge rejects DOJ's call for leniency
Breonna Taylor (File photo) A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department appeal for clemency on Monday and handed down a 33-month prison term to a former officer for breaching the civil rights of a Breonna Taylor, a Black woman, whose 2020 death sparked extensive demonstrations. The Kentucky jury found Brett Hankison, a previous Louisville police detective, guilty in November of violating Taylor's civil rights during a failed police operation at her residence. Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Justice Department's civil rights division, made an extraordinary request to Judge Rebecca Jennings last week, suggesting a sentence as time served, which is one day Hankison spent in custody upon arrest. However, Jennings, a Trump-era judicial appointee, dismissed this suggestion, expressing concern over the prosecution's sentencing document and lenient recommendations, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. The sentence included 33 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release, despite the possibility of a life sentence. The deaths of 26-year-old Taylor followed by George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man killed by a white Minneapolis officer in May 2020, catalysed substantial protests across the United States and internationally against police misconduct and racial discrimination. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thiruvananthapuram ചുമരിൽ നൂറുകണക്കിന് റോസാപ്പൂക്കൾ. Rare Climbing Rose Seeds Learn More Undo On March 13, 2020, around midnight, Taylor and her partner Kenneth Walker were asleep in her Louisville flat when they detected noise at the entrance. Walker discharged his firearm, wounding an officer, believing an intrusion was occurring. The police, armed with a disputed no-knock warrant for a drug arrest, responded with over 30 shots, fatally wounding Taylor. During the operation, Hankison fired 10 shots, some entering a neighbouring flat, without hitting anyone. He remains the sole officer convicted regarding the incident. In her sentencing document, Dhillon argued that a substantial prison term would be "unjust." "Hankison did not shoot Ms. Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death," she said. "Hankison did not wound her or anyone else at the scene that day, although he did discharge his duty weapon ten times blindly into Ms Taylor's home." The Taylor family's legal representatives acknowledged that whilst the sentence didn't "fully reflect the severity of the harm caused," it exceeded the Justice Department's recommendation. "We respect the court's decision, but we will continue to call out the DOJ's failure to stand firmly behind Breonna's rights and the rights of every Black woman whose life is treated as expendable," they said. In May, the Justice Department withdrew lawsuits initiated under Joe Biden 's administration against Louisville and Minneapolis police forces, which had alleged excessive force and racial discrimination.
New Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Ex-US policeman in Breonna Taylor killing sentenced to 33 months
WASHINGTON: A former police officer convicted of violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman whose 2020 killing fuelled widespread protests, was sentenced to 33 months in prison on Monday, US media reported. District Judge Rebecca Jennings, in delivering the sentence for Brett Hankison, rejected a recommendation by the Justice Department that he be given only one day in jail, the Louisville Courier Journal said. Hankison was convicted in November by a federal jury in Kentucky of one count of abusing Taylor's civil rights for shots fired during a botched police raid on her home. The head of the Trump Justice Department's civil rights division, in an unusual intervention, had asked the judge last week to sentence Hankison to time served – the day he spent in jail at the time of his arrest. Jennings, who was appointed to the bench by Donald Trump during his first term as president, said she was troubled by the prosecutor's sentencing memorandum and arguments for leniency, the Courier Journal said.
Int'l Business Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Ex-US Policeman In Breonna Taylor Killing Sentenced To 33 Months
A federal judge on Monday rejected an appeal for leniency by the Trump Justice Department and sentenced an ex-police officer to 33 months in prison for violating the civil rights of a Black woman whose 2020 killing fueled widespread protests. Brett Hankison, a former Louisville police department detective, was convicted by a jury in Kentucky in November of one count of abusing Breonna Taylor's civil rights for shots fired during a botched police raid on her home. Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Trump Justice Department's civil rights division, in an unusual intervention, had asked Judge Rebecca Jennings last week to sentence Hankison to time served -- the single day he spent in jail at the time of his arrest. But Jennings, who was appointed to the bench by Donald Trump during his first term as president, rejected the recommendation and said she was troubled by the prosecutor's sentencing memorandum and arguments for leniency, the Louisville Courier Journal said. She sentenced him to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hankison faced a maximum penalty of life in prison. The deaths of Taylor, 26, and George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, became the focus of a wave of mass protests in the United States and beyond against racial injustice and police brutality. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping in her Louisville apartment around midnight on March 13, 2020 when they heard a noise at the door. Walker, believing it was a break-in, fired his gun, wounding a police officer. Police, who had obtained a controversial no-knock search warrant to make a drug arrest, fired more than 30 shots back, mortally wounding Taylor. Hankison fired 10 shots during the raid, some into a neighboring apartment, but did not hit anyone. He is the only police officer convicted in connection with the raid. Dhillon, in her sentencing memorandum to the judge, had argued that a lengthy prison term for Hankison would be "unjust." "Hankison did not shoot Ms. Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death," she said. "Hankison did not wound her or anyone else at the scene that day, although he did discharge his duty weapon ten times blindly into Ms Taylor's home." In May, the Justice Department announced that it was dropping lawsuits filed by the administration of former president Joe Biden against police forces in Louisville and Minneapolis that accused them of using excessive force and racial discrimination.
